Container delivering goods to Parliament from the Chinese gov’t arrives empty

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is probing circumstances under which a container delivering electronic equipment to Parliament from China arrived in Nairobi empty.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Clerk of the National Assembly, Michael Sialai confirmed that the container tagged ‘diplomatic goods’ was delivered on Tuesday July 30, 2019 as expected but after the seals were opened, it was found to be empty.

The goods listed as laptops and computer projectors were a donation from the National People’s Congress of China and the consignment was to be delivered through the Chinese Embassy in Kenya.

According to Clerk of the National Assembly, the Chinese Embassy in Nairobi contracted a company identified as M/S Bollore Africa Transport & Logistics Ltd to deliver the consignment.

“Indeed a container arrived at Parliament Square on July 30, 2019, whence I appointed some officers from the National Assembly to confirm the delivery as per the correspondence from the consignee (Chinese Embassy),” reads the statement by Mr. Sialai.

“Upon opening of the container seals, the container was confirmed to have been empty. Both the agent and our officers brought this matter to my attention and I made a decision that the DCI officers attached to the Parliament Road Police Station be informed of this development, which was done promptly.”

Upon confirmation that the container brought by M/S Bollore Africa Transport & Logistics Ltd was empty, the DCI officers are reported to have informed the Chinese Embassy as investigations continue.

The offer to donate the electronic goods to Parliament was made during a visit to Nairobi by the Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China and a delegation of Chinese officials on April 13, 2019.

“While we remain grateful to our guest from the People’s Republic of China and the Chinese Embassy in Nairobi for the planned donation, the National Assembly wishes to clarify that the matter is now in the hands of the consignee and their logistics partner,” added Sialai.

There is no indication yet of where or when the electronic goods of unknown value were offloaded and at what point the equipment disappeared.